SLO County woman wowed judges on PBS’s ‘Great American Recipe’ show — and won. What’s next?

Sarah Linn
·4 min read

As the winner of PBS’s newest cooking competition show, Morro Bay resident Silvia Martinez is savoring her success — as well as a few fresh recipes.

“It has been a really wild and beautiful ride,” Martinez said.

Martinez was recently crowned as the victor of the first season of “The Great American Recipe,” which invited 10 talented home cooks from across the country to share their favorite family recipes and personal stories. The show premiered June 24 on PBS.

Over the course of eight episodes, the contestants cooked up multicultural dishes judged on taste, execution and presentation.

“Silvia’s heartwarming personal stories and delicious recipes, which combine the flavors of her home country with the bounty of California produce, repeatedly charmed host Alejandra Ramos and judges Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry and Graham Elliot,” the show’s producers said in a news release.

Originally from Guanajuato in central Mexico, Martinez worked as a human resources executive and university instructor before meeting her husband and moving to the United States. After a stint as a loan officer, Martinez started a bilingual lifestyle blog, Mama Latina Tips, in 2009.

Her culinary expertise came in handy during the finale of “The Great American Recipe,” which aired Aug. 12.

Judge Tiffany Derry, host Alejandra Ramos, contestant Silvia Martinez and judges Graham Elliot and Leah Cohen appear in the finale of PBS’s “The Great American Recipe.”
Judge Tiffany Derry, host Alejandra Ramos, contestant Silvia Martinez and judges Graham Elliot and Leah Cohen appear in the finale of PBS’s “The Great American Recipe.”

‘Great American Recipe’ finale offers special challenge

For their final challenge, three cooks — Martinez, Los Angeles resident Foo Nguyen and Robin Daumit of Annapolis, Maryland — were tasked with creating a special meal in just three hours.

“Deciding what to cook wasn’t an easy task,” Martinez acknowledged, noting that she needed to consider timing and “how to represent what I’m trying to say.”

She picked beef parrillada tacos — a crowd-pleasing main dish served at Martinez’s family barbecues — with a side of linguica beans.

The latter dish was inspired by frijoles charros, a traditional Mexican dish, as well as the spicy linguica sausage popular among San Luis Obispo County’s Portuguese American community.

“As I think about what an American recipe represents, it’s not only my family, it’s also my neighbors,” she explained.

Tres leches cake is one of Silvia Martinez’s favorite recipes. The Morro Bay resident was the winner of the first season of PBS's “The Great American Recipe."
Tres leches cake is one of Silvia Martinez’s favorite recipes. The Morro Bay resident was the winner of the first season of PBS's “The Great American Recipe."

For dessert, Martinez settled on an old favorite: tres leches cake.

“It was one of the first recipes I put on the blog. It was received with a lot of love because a lot of people love that cake,” said Martinez, whose version of the Mexican classic incorporates fresh fruit, edible flowers and homemade whipped cream.

“I put a lot of love in that cake,” she said.

Fortunately, Martinez had help from a surprise sous chef: her husband Matt.

“He’s been my No. 1 fan, a big supporter of everything I do,” Martinez said, adding that her husband encouraged her to try out for the show. “He always said, ‘I think you can do it. I think you can win it.’ And he was right.”

Morro Bay resident Silvia Martinez, far right in green shirt, poses for a picture with her fellow contestants on “The Great American Recipe.” The new PBS reality competition show premiered June 24, 2022.
Morro Bay resident Silvia Martinez, far right in green shirt, poses for a picture with her fellow contestants on “The Great American Recipe.” The new PBS reality competition show premiered June 24, 2022.

Martinez said her two sons, ages 14 and 18, were also confident she’d win.

“I kept (my victory) secret until the very last minute,” she said. “I was great to see their faces when they saw their dad coming out in the show and they saw me win. I could see ... how proud they were.”

Martinez also got support from an unexpected source: her fellow contestants.

“We bonded really early on,” she said, in part due to the isolation they faced filming in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We loved to help each other.”

Now, she said, “We’re in constant contact through text every day.”

“We’re very happy we’re in each other’s lives,” she said.

“The Great American Recipe Cookbook,” an official companion book to the PBS show “The Great American Recipe,” is available to purchase now.
“The Great American Recipe Cookbook,” an official companion book to the PBS show “The Great American Recipe,” is available to purchase now.

PBS show to return for season 2

On Monday, PBS announced it’s bringing “The Great American Recipe” back for a second season, set to premiere in summer 2023. Production for season 2 of the show, which is co-produced by VPM and Objective Media Group America, is scheduled to begin in the fall.

“I’m super excited about the second season,” Martinez said, describing it as “a validation of the work we did” on the show. “It’s going to be a long wait.”

In the meantime, fans can cook their way through “The Great American Cookbook,” an official series companion book with more than 100 recipes from the cast, host and judges, along with personal stories and photos. It’s available to buy at bookstores as well as the Shop PBS website and the online VPM store.

Martinez’s recipe for chiles en nogada — stuffed poblano peppers in walnut sauce — is pictured on the book’s cover.

“I’m seeing another cookbook in my future,” said Martinez, adding that she’s always wanted to write one. She’s also considering offering cooking classes.

Pinto bean soup, also known as sopa tarasca, is one of Silvia Martinez’s favorite recipes. The Morro Bay resident appears on the new PBS competition show “The Great American Recipe,” which premiered June 24, 2022.
Pinto bean soup, also known as sopa tarasca, is one of Silvia Martinez’s favorite recipes. The Morro Bay resident appears on the new PBS competition show “The Great American Recipe,” which premiered June 24, 2022.

But her biggest focus will be her blog and sharing everything she learned on “The Great American Recipe” — from a newfound appreciation for seasoning to a desire to try out dishes created by her competitors.

“I love cooking, and every time I can try something new I just welcome that,” she said with a smile.

How to watch ‘The Great American Recipe’

Did you miss “The Great American Recipe”? All episodes of the show are currently streaming on PBS.org and the PBS Video app.